Hallucination in Relation to Coronavirus Disease: A Case Report

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) respiratory manifestations range from mild signs to respiratory failure. Nevertheless, Coronavirus is not limited to the respiratory system and affects other organs, including the central nervous system. In this study, we reported a case of COVID-19 associated with the first episode of psychotic symptoms. Case presentation: The patient was a 39-year man who was brought to the emergency ward with loss of consciousness, following opioid overdose. He was intubated for airway protection. After the naloxone infusion, he became alert. The brain CT scan was normal, but the findings of the chest CT scan were compatible with COVID-19 involvement. In addition, his throat swab sample was positive. On the second day, he stated that he heard strange voices talking to each other, but he could not figure out where those voices were coming from. He did not experience hallucinations in any other sensory modalities. On the third day, three episodes of generalized tonic colonic seizures suddenly emerged. The brain CT scan demonstrated bilateral parieto-occipital hypoattenuation, which extended to the frontal lobes. Cortical hemorrhage was also seen in the right parietal lobe. Implications for Practice: The evidence indicates the neuroinvasive potential of COVID-19. Therefore, psychiatric symptoms are a novel phenomenon related to this disease. Clinicians should consider psychiatric representations in COVID-19 patients in order to decrease the complication of this disease.